Gluten intolerance is a broad term that can refer to a few different conditions. The first and most commonly considered condition is celiac disease, but it can also refer to non-celiac gluten sensitivity or even a wheat allergy. Having a better understanding of these conditions and what to do about each of them will help you take the right steps towards the path of health and recovery.
If you are new to a gluten-free diet, you may wonder how much gluten is too much? Or what should you do if you accidentally consume a little gluten because you couldn’t control the preparation environment or because you just didn’t know something was made with gluten? Learn how much gluten it takes to do damage.
To understand the difference between a wheat allergy and celiac disease, you need to see a list of symptoms for each, but you also need to understand the context and mechanism of those symptoms as well. Discover the fundamental difference between a wheat allergy and celiac disease and learn more about what causes the symptoms of a wheat allergy.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder which impacts the small intestines and can eventually lead to the inability to absorb essential nutrients. Nearly 1 in every 100 people in the United States suffers from symptoms of this condition. The troubling thing is that celiac disease can be life threatening in some instances. Silent celiac disease is particularly troubling because it can exist without any of the common traditional symptoms.
Despite what you may have read on many inaccurate or vague websites, gluten is not a protein itself and it is possible to have a poor response to gluten and yet still test negative for celiac disease. Understanding what gluten is, where it is found, how it can cause damage within the body and how to avoid it is an important step in mastering the gluten-free lifestyle.
While the discussion in this video focuses on gluten sensitivity, Dr. Kaplan also explains the similarities and differences of a gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. He also goes into some detail on other possible illnesses that are sometimes linked with gluten sensitivity, where a gluten-free diet may be beneficial.
Until somewhat recently many people suffered from symptoms that seemed to be related to wheat or gluten, however they tested negative for celiac disease and a wheat allergy. It looks as though there may be a formal diagnosis for many of these people… finally. In March 2011 a study was published that verified the existence
With the gluten-free product industry expected to surpass 5 billion dollars in profit by 2015, the sirens of commerce have become a big part of the gluten-free diet fad. I suppose it isn’t a surprise that this has become a difficult matter, but I’m afraid many people forget the real suffering endured by people stuck between the marketing hype surrounding the gluten-free diet and the medical reality inherent with gluten intolerance.
When you look at the statistics of gluten intolerance, you may be startled to recognize how many people around you probably suffer from some degree of gluten intolerance. It’s clear that gluten sensitivity and celiac disease are widespread, but, sadly, many people who have these conditions don’t even know it. Awareness and diagnosis is improving, but as you can see from these statistics we still have a long way to go.
You are not alone if you are confused by the vocabulary used in the gluten intolerance discussion. There are over a dozen different terms used interchangeably to represent three different conditions, and most people don’t even realize that there are three distinct conditions under the gluten intolerance umbrella. Having a better understanding of the terminology can help empower you on your quest for better health.
